Student "Right to Know" Information

All schools that receive Title IV Federal Financial Aid (Pell Grants, Direct Stafford Loans, Federal Work Study, etc.) are required to inform students each year of graduation rates at their school. Rates are calculated based on 150% of the time that it would take to earn a degree (students seeking a 2-year degree would be tracked for 3 years to be counted in the graduation rate cohort).

ECC student achievement data

Student achievement, including retention, graduation, transfer and employment rates, is important to ECC.

Student cohort retention rates are tracked and reported to the National Center for Education Statistics via the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) each spring. The most recent IPEDS submission reports on the fall-to-fall retention rate of fall 2012 first-time, full-time students. The fall 2012 cohort consisted of 353 students; 166 students, or 47 percent, of the cohort enrolled during fall 2013.

The three-year graduation rate is also reported via IPEDS. For Ellsworth Community College students who first entered, full-time, in the fall 2010, 21 percent graduated within three years. The transfer rate for the fall 2010 cohort was 44 percent. Student-athletes who first entered on a full-time basis during fall 2010 had a graduation rate of 26.5 percent.

Campus crime statistics

Campus crime statistics are available through the Dean of Students & Academic Affairs’ Office (Gentle Student Center, room 223) and Provost’s Office (Gentle Student Center, room 220) or by going to http://nces.ed.gov/IPEDS/COOL and searching for Ellsworth Community College. The most current ECC security and fire safety data can be viewed here: IVCCD Annual Security & Fire Safety 2014 Report (a printed copy may be requested through the Dean of Students & Academic Affairs' Office).

Grievances, complaints & concerns

Iowa Valley Community College District and Ellsworth Community College desire to resolve student grievances, complaints and concerns in an expeditious, fair and amicable manner. ECC students residing outside of the state of Iowa while attending classes who desire to resolve a grievance should follow the College's grievance procedure on pages 16-17 in the ECC student handbook. In the event that a complaint cannot be satisfied through one of these avenues, the Iowa College Student Aid Commission (ICSAC) is authorized to receive and review complaints from students. You may contact ICSAC to register a complaint at https://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/content/constituent-request-review. If an issue cannot be resolved through ICSAC, you may file a complaint with either the Iowa Department of Education (515-281-0319) or the Higher Learning Commission (https://www.ncahlc.org/; ph. 312-263-0456).

The College believes in maintaining an educational environment that is positive and productive for its students. Occasionally, a student may claim that he or she has experienced an alleged violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of IVCCD Board policies, rules and regulations; or has been unfairly treated by an IVCCD employee or another student; or that the contractual relationship between the student and IVCCD has been breached. When these situations arise, students should follow the Student Grievance Procedure. For all other complaints and feedback, the student should follow the Student Feedback/Complaint Procedure. Forms are found in the Dean of Students & Academic Affairs' office as well as here:

Access to an appeal as defined within College policies and procedures, but no more than 5 business days after the sanctioning decision. If students feel that they have been disciplined unfairly or if they wish to appeal some other decision which they consider to be unjustified, unfair, or a violation of student rights, then the student should appeal that decision. An appeal is not granted in cases where there is disagreement with a College policy or procedure. In those cases, students should file a complaint with the appropriate department, but the sanction will not be contested. Appeal forms are located in the Dean of Students and Academic Affairs’ office as well as here:

ECC Education Equity Statement

It is the policy of Iowa Valley Community College District to provide equal educational and employment opportunities without discriminating on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, marital status, national origin, religion, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. Harassment related to any legally protected characteristic is a violation of this policy. Students who feel they have been subjected to discrimination in violation of this policy may file a formal complaint through the Student Grievance or Student Complaint Procedure (see above). Ellsworth Community College students who feel they have been discriminated against are advised to contact Tracie Self, Equity Officer (641-648-8510 or Tracie.Self@iavalley.edu). Complaints may also be filed with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in Des Moines at (515) 281-4121, or with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, in Chicago, IL, at (312) 730-1560.

Semester college credits

At Iowa Valley Community College District, semester hours of undergraduate credit across all disciplines and departments are awarded by the “Carnegie Unit” method. A semester credit hour is normally granted for satisfactory completion of one 55-minute session of classroom instruction per week for a semester of fifteen weeks. This basic measure may be adjusted proportionately to reflect modified academic calendars and formats of study. A semester credit hour is an academic unit earned for fifteen 55-minute sessions of classroom or direct faculty instruction or its equivalent with a normal expectation of two hours of outside study for each class session.

All IVCCD distance learning classes have an on-campus version of the course whereby the amount of instruction, course objectives and learning outcomes are equivalent between modes of delivery. Learning objectives are determined, organized and evaluated by our faculty annually per course. Comparisons of course syllabi for distance vs. on-campus sections of a course have equivalent learning standards. For a distance learning class, while there is no “seat requirement,” there is a normal expectation of three hours of outside study per week for each semester credit hour during the typical 15 weeks of the course.

Credit definitions

One on-campus class credit is defined as: 1 class hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction per week and a minimum of 2 class hours of out-of-class student work each week.

One distance learning or hybrid class credit is defined as: an equivalent amount of instruction and student work leading to equivalent learning outcomes, as required for the on-campus class as defined above.

One laboratory credit is defined as: a minimum of 2 class hours of work each week in a laboratory under the supervision of a lab supervisor/instructor and an expectation of 1 class hour of additional out-of-class student work each week.

Online courses with one laboratory credit taught via distance learning require the equivalent learning outcomes/lab experiences as required for the on-campus lab, but with a normal expectation of 3 hours of student work each week (usually handled through laboratory kits purchased by the student).

One clinical or internship or practicum credit is defined as: a minimum of 4 class hours of work each week in a laboratory or work setting under the supervision of a lab supervisor/instructor and an expectation of 1 class hour of additional out-of-class student work each week.

ECC Consumer Information

The U.S. Department of Education requires that all colleges annually provide notice regarding the availability of the consumer information listed below. Please contact the department responsible with questions, concerns or requests for paper copies.

Clery Act Information – Campus crime statistics are maintained by the ECC Dean of Students & Academic Affairs’ Office (Gentle Center 223) and the ECC Provost’s Office (Gentle Center 220) or by going to http://nces.ed.gov/IPEDS/COOL and searching for Ellsworth Community College

Employees are available during normal operating hours (Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) to help prospective students, current students, and current and prospective employees obtain consumer information.

It is the policy of Iowa Valley Community College District to provide equal educational and employment opportunities without discriminating on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, marital status, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex, in its educational programs, activities, practices and policies.